The Mapmakers Union (The Doorknob Society Saga Book 3) by MJ Fletcher Page B

club, we’re going to attend. I’ll use the time to get close to one of the guards who protects the Legend. Edgar was able to learn the names of at least two of the men assigned to the task. When I do, I’ll use the Coordinate Catcher that Slade created to capture the coordinates of all the places the guard has traveled in the past few days. From that Edgar should be able to learn the exact location of the Legend, then we make a move. We only need a few minutes with the map and we’ll have what we need,” I finished and took another sip of coffee.
    “But it’ll still be guarded, won’t it?”
    “Yes, but we need to do it now. Edgar says that the First Kind tried unsuccessfully to remotely activate the map again. The Mapmakers Union is already talking about taking further precautions to protect it. We have to make our move before they do.”
    “How dangerous is this going to be, honestly?” Val tapped the rim of her cup waiting on my answer.
    I wasn’t about to lie to Val. “It’s going to be dangerous.”  But I wasn’t about to make it worse for her by telling her that a lot of things could go very wrong with the plan. There was just no other way. We needed to get a copy of that book to stop whatever it was the First Kind was planning. Edgar knew that it was why he was willing to go against his own Mapmaker Union’s wishes.
    “I knew it. Edgar keeps telling me it’s no big deal so that I won’t worry, but I’d rather know the truth.”
    “That’s Edgar for you, protecting you all he can.”
    “I worry about him too; he’s so sweet and thoughtful.” Val beamed with pride. “I told you how terrific he was at my school dance, everyone loved him.”
     Val had been so nervous about her dance and whether Edgar would get along with everyone. It turned out that she had nothing to worry about. Her quirky, weird boyfriend had done more for her social life than she could ever have imagined. Apparently, Edgar had talked to everyone, be it jock or outcast, they had all loved him. Val had suddenly found herself being invited to hang out with people she barely knew.
    “Edgar’s gifted. I’ve seen full-fledged Mapmakers who can’t do what he can. He’ll do great.” It was the truth. I knew so many people at school who were envious of my friendship with Edgar simply because of how talented he was, they of course assuming I could get any map I wanted from him. That would probably be true if I asked him for any, but I usually didn’t have to; he had the uncanny ability to know what maps I needed and gave them to me.
    “What about this Bronze Compass Club?”
    I had a feeling Val was asking about a completely different worry this time. One which I didn’t think she had to be concerned with at all.
    “I haven’t been there but I hear it’s popular. It’s open, so a member of any organization can go there, which helps us. But also makes this a bit tricky since we don’t know who we’ll be running into.
    “It’s just you three?”
    “Yup, I get close to the guard. Slade is there for back up and distraction if I need it, then Edgar gets the info and we jump right to the Legend.” I finished my coffee and stepped up to the counter and Val’s co-worker Kirstie poured me a new cup. I sat back down and could see Val was mentally working through the plan.
    “What about Jess?” Val asked.
     I lowered my head and took a sip of my drink. I didn’t want to think about Jess at the moment. We hadn’t been talking and I knew once the holidays were over she was planning on leaving for college. The only reason I knew about that was because Gran had told me.
    “She isn’t coming.”
    “Have you two talked?”
    “No.”
    “Chloe, you guys need to resolve this.” Val leaned forward placing her elbows on the table, her Santa hat tipping even more ridiculously to the side.
    “That’s a little hard when she won’t even talk to me.”
    “You need to make her talk to you. She’s hurting and needs you.” Val